Live videos are one of the fastest growing features in social media. With the invention of Periscope, Twitter became the first social media tech mogul to dip its feet in those waters. In the span of 3 years, however, Facebook has taken away that feature and has used it on both Facebook and Instagram, and they even made it better( Facebook stealing a feature from someone else and making it better is a Facebook staple by now). Recently, businesses are catching up and realizing that the Live feature can be used in a very effective way if used properly. In this article, there are some tips to make the most out of a Facebook live video.

1. The video needs to have a purpose.

This may sound basic to some, but you would be surprised how many businesses use the Live feature without a specific purpose, and that will never work.A lot of them feel the need to rush to use the hottest feature, and often forget that, like all marketing, there needs to be a plan behind using a tool. The content you are going live with needs to be curated, and make sense for the brand, not just for the sake of using it.

2. Market and get the right promotion for the video.

Facebook live video should not be used at random, so when it is used, you need to make sure you are getting the most out of it. Advertising the event before it happens and creating the right marketing plan around it can definitely guarantee more people will be watching your video. Smartly target the right audience up to, during and after the live video, and be sure to get the recording into the hands of your target audience.

3. Practice before going Live.

This is a big one. Remember, Live is not a normal video, where you can retake something and edit it if you don’t like it. When it’s Live, it will go unfiltered and unedited to the public. That is why it’s incredibly important for people to practice as much as possible. Obviously, the video will never be as polished as it would be if it were a normal video, nor should it be, but you still need to practice to make sure you have a professional look.

4. Technology will most likely fail.

This is fine. Everyone knows technology is not perfect, including your clients. But you need to make sure you have a backup plan in case this doesn’t work. After all, people are expecting content from you, and not delivering is a sure way to damage your reputation.

5. Hold a Q&A Session

This a great feature you can only use on Live videos. Have a Q&A session in which people in the audience can ask questions about you and your product. That way you can clear any doubts, and help people answer their questions! Be sure to have your own lined up Q&A’s, in case audience participation is low.

These are all tips to make sure you can use this feature the best you can. It is important to point out that you should only use this tool if you feel fully confident it will help you. Many businesses try to hurry and use the latest features without fully understanding them, or what their purpose is. Make sure to understand how the Live version works, and figure out how you want to use it. That way, you